Revisting milestones as Geno nears Summitt
Geno Auriemma’s next victory will be the 1,098th of his career, tying Tennessee legend Pat Summitt for second all- time among women’s college basketball coaches. Stanford’s Tara VanDerveer, also actively coaching, has 1,102 entering Saturday.
Here are some of the other milestones from Auriemma’s Hall of Fame career at UConn:
Nov. 23, 1985: Auriemma, who had left Debbie Ryan’s staff at Virginia, wins his inaugural game at UConn, beating Iona 73- 67. He picks up two technical fouls, too ( back then, three earned an ejection).
The Huskies start the year 7- 0, but finish 12- 15. They haven’t had a losing season since.
March 5, 1989: The Huskies beat Providence 84- 65 for their first Big East championship. Auriemma, suspended for the regularseason finale and conference tournament because of a scheduling error, spends the game at the team hotel getting updates from his wife, Kathy.
Dec. 31, 1990: Ten games into his sixth season in Storrs, Auriemma notches his 100th win, defeating Iowa State 69- 56.
March 16, 1991: The Huskies edge Toledo 81- 80 for their first NCAA Tournament win. They make it to the Final Four later that season, but lose to Virginia.
Jan. 2, 1995: UConn’s first unbeaten season includes Auriemma’s 200th victory — 100- 67 over Pittsburgh.
Jan. 16, 1995: No. 2 UConn beats No. 1 Tennessee 77- 66 in front of a sellout crowd at Gampel Pavilion on Martin Luther King Day, jump- starting the rivalry that would define women’s basketball for years to come. The Huskies claim the top spot in the Associated Press poll for the first time.
April 2, 1995: The Huskies complete a 35- 0 season by defeating Tennessee 70- 64 for their first national championship.
Nov. 29, 1997: Victory No. 300 for Auriemma is a 101- 38 rout of Rhode Island.
April 2, 2000: Another national championship over Tennessee, 71- 52, and this one comes in Auriemma’s backyard of Philadelphia.
Dec. 10, 2000: Auriemma picks up his 400th win in a 97- 55 victory over Illinois.
March 31, 2002: The Huskies beat Oklahoma 82- 70 for their third NCAA title, capping one of the most dominant seasons in history. With a starting five of Sue Bird, Swin Cash, Asjha Jones, Diana Taurasi and Tamika Williams, the Huskies finish 39- 0.
April 6, 2003: Auriemma’s 500th win comes in the Final Four — 71- 69 over Texas. Two nights later, UConn defeats Tennessee for national championship No. 4.
April 6, 2004: UConn completes the NCAA threepeat, topping Tennessee 70- 61.
Sept. 9, 2006: Auriemma, in his first year of eligibility, is part of a six- member class inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. He becomes the seventh women’s coach enshrined.
Dec. 31, 2006: The Huskies throttle Sacred Heart 82- 40 for Auriemma’s 600th victory.
April 7, 2009: The first of back- to- back 39- 0 seasons is cemented with a 76- 54 beatdown of Louisville. The Huskies become the first team to win every game by double digits.
Nov. 27, 2009: Auriemma picks up his 700th win — 91- 46 against Hofstra.
April 6, 2010: UConn rebounds from a 12- point first half to beat Stanford 53- 47 in the lowest- scoring women’s championship game in NCAA history.
Dec. 21, 2010: The Huskies top the record 88- game win streak set by John Wooden’s UCLA men’s team, defeating Florida State 93- 62. Maya Moore goes off for 41 points.
March 6, 2012: UConn bests Notre Dame 63- 54 in the Big East championship for Auriemma’s 800th win, but Muffet McGraw & Co. return the favor later that year in the Final Four.
April 9, 2013: The Huskies leave the Big East in style, thumping Louisville 93- 60 for their eighth NCAA title.
April 8, 2014: UConn beats Notre Dame 79- 58 for its record ninth NCAA championship, surpassing Summitt and Tennessee.
Feb. 3, 2015: Auriemma becomes the fastest coach to 900 wins ( 1,034 games), drubbing Cincinnati 96- 36.
April 7, 2015: UConn tops Notre Dame 63- 53 for its third straight national championship. It’s the 10th for Auriemma, matching Wooden for the most in college basketball.
April 5, 2016: UConn wins an unprecedented fourth straight NCAA title
— 82- 51 over Syracuse — fulfilling a quest by national player of the year Breanna Stewart. Auriemma passes the Wizard of Westwood in the process.
Feb. 13, 2017: The Huskies down South Carolina 66- 55 for their 100th straight win. The streak would reach 111 before a buzzer- beating loss to Mississippi State in the national semifinal later that year.
Dec. 19, 2017: Auriemma hits 1,000 wins — 88- 64 against Oklahoma — in his 33rd season, joining a rarefied class that includes Summitt, Stanford’s VanDerveer and North Carolina’s Sylvia Hatchell. Fake $ 1,000 bills float from the rafters at Mohegan Sun Arena to celebrate the occasion.
March 31, 2019: The Huskies, fueled by disrespect after not landing a No. 1 seed, beat Louisville 80- 74 to reach a record 12th straight Final Four. Katie Lou Samuelson pours in 29 points on a balky back.